SRA Nepal

Welcome to the Sirmoor Rifles Association Nepal website.

(If any SRA Nepal members would like items added please contact the website)

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

I need not mention here about the Sirmoor Durbar as most of the retired 2 GR had gathered for the big event in Pokhara last March. It was so heartening to meet so many of our burhos whom we had never met before.

I personally wish to thank all SCN Branch Chairmen for their efforts convincing and bringing to Pokhara so many of our senior burhos for whom travel to Pokhara must have been a real adventure. It was even more heartening to see many on wheel chairs. It was also very nice to meet so many of our Gora Sahebs and Memsahebs from the UK. Thanks to Major David Thomas saheb. All SCN branches save Myagdi and Palpa celebrated Delhi Day on 14 Sep 2014 as in previous years. It was nice to know that HK also had a small gathering on that day. Branches observing Tigris/Tamandu Day this year had to skip the gathering due to the Durbar being hardly a month away. Although there was a good chance of Malaysian Service Medals being presented to the recipients, 52 from 2 GR, during G200 Nepal celebrations we had to be disappointed at the very last moment. Good news for the ex Gurkhas that GWS medical scheme for retired personnel in Nepal has been revised wef 01 July this year. Retired Gurkhas now can make medical claim for treatment in almost all hospitals in the country. In the past there were only a few GWS authorized hospitals. Thanks for the sincere efforts of Lt Col Sean Harris OBE, Comd BGN, who is now retired and is in the UK. Col Harris was presented with a Regimental plaque by Sirmoor Club Nepal for all the help that SCN received from BGN for and during Sirmoor Durbar 2015.

There was a big turnout from 2 GR at the Bde Bhela on 26 Mar although the following day they had to be in Pokhara for the Durbar. Despite wet weather and cancellation of majority of the flights into Pokhara and after waiting for hours at the airport Kathmandu Sirmooris somehow made the journey travelling by road all night. A few ‘reported’ straight at BGP Gate. Welfare pension has been increased to NRs 9000 per month, effective from 01 July 2015 and the service pension by 7.3 p.c. wef 01 April 2015. There was an increase in the recruits’ intake this year. Final selection is taking place shortly for 200 as opposed to 176 last year. The Gurkha Settlement Office (GSO) in BGN are very busy assisting ex Gurkhas with online visa applications for UK settlement, new rules introduced by UKVI earlier this year. They will now remain open until Mar 2019. On the day of the great earthquake (25 April 2015) I was in Darjeeling, attending the Kurseong G200 celebration with other RAN chairmen. On return home the following day I was glad to find my own house intact but was very sorry to see extensive damages to a multi-storey apartment building and few other houses in the neighbourhood. Earthquake relief programme by GWS Nepal is given under RAN update in the AGM minutes. Sadly we lost a total of 63 Sirmooris, 56 in Nepal and 7 in the UK, this year. It was 68 in Nepal last year. Lastly I would like to thank, on behalf of all Sirmooris, Major Yambahadur Gurung, Nepal Coordinator and Major David Thomas, the UK Coordinator, for their contribution without which the Durbar last March would not have been the success it was. Congratulations to Maj Yam on the award of BEM also. He deserved it. Captain Bharat Singh Thapa Chhetri, Kathmandu